Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Scarlet

Our little girl, Scarlet, was born last week. She's happy and healthy with a dark head of hair. I painted this image for her and will be putting it up in her room. I've had the name Scarlet in mind for years and it comes from the Bible, Proverbs 31 (A Wife of Noble Character). In describing this incredible woman of great character and quality, this one verse in particular caught my eye:

"She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet."

Digging into the research, the use of "scarlet" refers to scarlet dyed wool, as it is double dyed to get the intense color. It seems to be a poetic way of saying her household is clothed doubly, layered against the cold. Regardless, the imagery of a family walking through snow in bright scarlet cloth became firmly lodged in my head. So, Scarlet is a name that is both visually striking and nods to a beautiful book in the Bible, Proverbs 31.